Bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south is the continent of Europe located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. The second smallest continent covers about 3.9 million square miles or 2% of Earth’s surface. It is divided into fifty sovereign states with the Russian Federation having the largest and most populous.
Ancient Greece in Europe was the birthplace of Western Civilization. Between the 16th and 20th centuries, it controlled at various times the Americas, almost all of Africa and the majority of Asia. Two world wars and economic depression drew most European nations that dominated the early 20th century. Europe has a continually evolving politics factored by the historical events within the continent.
Europe
Geography
The continent of Europe is a gathering of linked peninsulas and nearby islands. Thus, it is called the peninsula of peninsulas. Europe and Scandinavia, divided by the Baltic Sea are the two largest peninsulas and three smaller are Iberia, Italy, and Balkans. Europe shows the great variation of land relief within comparatively small areas. Regions in the south are mountainous, while northward the terrain descends from the Alps, Pyrenees, and Carpathians from hilly uplands to low, broad northern plains. Iberia and Italy which are sub-regions contain their particular intricate features where the relief encloses plateaus, river valleys, and basins that obscure the overall trend. Iceland and the British Isles, both special cases were a result of North Atlantic volcanic formation for the former and latter consist of upland areas that used to be joined to the mainland only to be cut off by increasing sea levels.
Population
Climate
Although lying mainly in the temperate climate zones, Europe is being subjected to prevailing westerlies. Cold and dry weather is brought by Siberian High from the east. Parts of central and eastern Europe have marginal Oceanic/Continental Climate and are lay open to more frequent snowfalls. Southern Europe has a Mediterranean climate while Western Europe’s is intensely conditioned by the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is said to be “Europe’s Central Heating” as it makes the climate warmer than it would otherwise be.
Economy
With more than 740 million people in 50 different countries, Europe as a whole is the largest economy in the world outdoing the Americas by more than 2 trillion. Its trillions in assets under management represented more than one-third of the world’s wealth.
Demographics
Figures of the population of Europe depend on the boundaries of Europe. Within the standard geographical boundaries, it is comprised of 737 million. Population growth in Europe is rather minimal with minimal age comparatively high. European countries saw an increase in immigration after World War II. Ethnic Groups / People of Europe are at 87. 33 forms the majority of the population while 54 are ethnic minorities.
Culture
As Paul Valery stated, “The idea of culture, of intelligence, of great works, has for us a very ancient connection with the idea of Europe.” When someone says culture, literature, music, philosophy, and fine arts, nothing best comes to mind than Europe. Their culture has been the cradle for many cultural revolutions. It is best defined as a series of overlapping cultures. As hard as the European Unions try to identify a common cultural value, they just can’t and every time, it just turn out to be a highly controversial issue.
Tourism
With the richness of Europe’s culture, tourists are drawn in to visit the perceived glamour and sophistication. With 1.3 billion tourist arrivals tallied by the UN in 2017, it is expected to surpass previous records despite the frustration in tourism. Many anti-tourism demonstrations are held in many cities throughout Europe mainly sending out messages that tourism kills Mallorca.
Last Updated on December 9, 2021
